I’m Really Scared
Chapter 165: Xiao Shen is Not That Petty

Guan Shan didn't rush back to Baihe Village immediately. Instead, he took a detour along the mountain path because he had already instructed his Shadow Clone to pack their luggage and also took a few strings of bacon drying at the village chief's house as part of the supplies for Li Zhiying, hoping she could stay on the mountain for a few more days.

However, Guan Shan was still puzzled about where exactly those students were living in the mountains. It seemed as if they were hidden in a guerrilla warfare style, and outsiders could not find a trace of them.

"Maybe it's to avoid being harassed by the villagers. These students must be among the victims or those in the know, so it's normal for them to want to stay away from here. It would be strange if they could be easily found. Besides, I only roughly checked the area along the mountain path," Guan Shan managed to convince himself and focused his attention back on Baihe Village.

As for the whereabouts of Ba Dian and Ba Jiang, there was no need to worry. Guan Shan had already marked Ba Jiang and Ba Dian with [A Kiss from Red Lips] while pretending to be unconscious...

Though this tool was somewhat disgusting in retrospect, its effect was immediate. Now, in Guan Shan's perception, the positions of Ba Jiang and Ba Dian were very clear, and he could even vaguely sense their environment.

It was a very thoughtful and intelligent marking function. If only the description and usage of this tool weren't so gross...

Guan Shan and the others met up with the Shadow Clone, took their belongings, and headed to the place Li Zhiying had mentioned. Since there were no signposts on the mountain, the location Li Zhiying provided was quite vague. When they got close, Guan Shan was about to use Ah Jie's phone to confirm the location when he saw a familiar figure in a plain dress standing among the low bushes by the roadside.

In the dim light, Li Zhiying peered out from behind a tree, waved at Guan Shan, and frowned. "Guan Shan, and this must be your multi-talented friend. What exactly happened in Baihe Village?"

Guan Shan approached, placed the supplies on the ground, and said solemnly, "The village chief has bad intentions. They drugged us at the welcoming banquet and tried to kill us by sinking us into a swamp behind the village. We barely managed to escape."

He briefly recounted what he had overheard but skipped the part about the countless corpses in the swamp, merely stating there might be other victims.

Having been submerged in the swamp earlier, they hadn't had time to clean up. They were covered in mud, looking utterly miserable. The corpses in the swamp had been soaking for who knows how many years, and the stench was enough to make anyone retch. They looked like they could easily pass as high-ranking members of the beggar's guild.

The sight was so realistic it would be hard to fake, and Guan Shan was someone Li Zhiying trusted. She covered her nose and approached, pulling out a bottle of mineral water from her bag. She handed it to Guan Shan, saying, "There's a spring up the mountain. I'll take you there to clean up, and you can stay in my student's house for the night..."

Guan Shan took the water and nodded. He looked at Li Zhiying and suddenly asked, "Boss, did you also notice something wrong?"

Li Zhiying's reaction had been surprisingly calm. Though she was known for her strong work ethic and composed demeanor, encountering a life-threatening situation should have shaken her more.

When Guan Shan first activated the simulator, it had terrified him. Facing life and death was often harder than one imagined.

So Guan Shan asked because, earlier, Ba Dian and Ba Jiang had hinted that they needed to kill "that woman" because she had discovered something. It seemed they were referring to Li Zhiying.

Li Zhiying nodded and, while leading the way, sighed, "I did notice something wrong... You must have noticed the high disability rate among the children in this village. Seven years ago, it wasn't like this."

She recalled, "I was a university student back then, part of a school-organized teaching support program. Due to family reasons, I only taught here for six months. The conditions were harsh, but I still remember those days fondly. I remember every student's name."

Li Zhiying took out an old photo and smiled, "This is a photo from that time. After all these years, seeing all those faces that flatter or hide their true selves, I still miss the pure smiles of those children."

Guan Shan shone his phone's light on the photo. It showed dozens of children in worn-out clothes, with a younger and more vibrant Li Zhiying squatting in the middle, holding two kids and smiling warmly.

This side of Li Zhiying, compared to her current mature and authoritative demeanor, was entirely new to Guan Shan.

The children's faces beamed with simple joy.

Guan Shan figured he had gained Li Zhiying's genuine trust, so he took the opportunity to flatter her, "Boss, you haven't changed much over the years. I don't see much need for reminiscing."

Women, especially those nearing thirty like Li Zhiying, often appreciated compliments on their appearance. Despite talking about missing the children's smiles, she was likely also reminiscing about her younger years.

Li Zhiying was surprised. "Now you know how to flatter people? Why don't you do that more often? I saw you mercilessly mocking Jiang Siyang before, and I thought you didn't know how to please your superiors."

She teased, "That Shen girl seems close to you. Wouldn't she get jealous?"

This was clearly a light-hearted jab, meant to lift spirits.

"Uh..." Guan Shan felt a bit guilty but remained firm. "Xiao Shen isn't that petty. A few compliments don't mean much."

Li Zhiying couldn't help but laugh, then regained her composure and continued, "Seven years later, things have changed."

She looked at the dark forest ahead and said softly, "My students are here, but many of their children are disabled, left in the care of the villagers. I knew something was wrong and started investigating secretly."

Guan Shan asked, "And then?"

Li Zhiying replied, "Then I discovered that a small, backward village like this couldn't have so many children. They lacked medical and financial resources."

"Coincidentally, I recently came across a missing person report while organizing some publications."

"The girl in that report was born with intellectual disabilities... You've probably met her."

Guan Shan's eyes widened as he instantly realized it was the girl named Ah Yang.

That girl was a missing person, meaning she wasn't originally from Baihe Village.

Li Zhiying suddenly stopped and said, "We're here."

Ahead was a dilapidated wooden hut, hidden among branches and bushes on a remote path. Without Li Zhiying's guidance, it would have been impossible to find.

Guan Shan circled the hut and found the door, pushing it open. Inside, it was covered in cobwebs, clearly not inhabited for a long time.

He was about to ask Li Zhiying something but, turning around, found she had disappeared.